UK worker hurt by parcel bomb

A member of staff was injured today after a parcel bomb exploded at Britain's vehicle licensing agency, the third similar incident…

A member of staff was injured today after a parcel bomb exploded at Britain's vehicle licensing agency, the third similar incident in three days.

A woman was injured today in an explosion at Britain's vehicle licensing agency, the third attack in three days on motoring-related organisations.

Police refused to confirm the nature of the explosion, but BBC News said a parcel bomb had exploded at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Swansea, south Wales.

"One female has been taken to hospital with injuries, which are not believed to be life-threatening," a police statement said.

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"A cordon has been put in place and nearby residents are being evacuated as a precautionary measure."

The DVLA said the injured woman handled its mail.

"Naturally these incidents are worrying. It is important that we allow police to get on with their investigation without undue speculation," Home Secretary Dr John Reid said.

Staff in Northern Ireland handling car tax and license applications were put on high alert. The North's Department of the Environment confirmed that following today's letter bomb attack in Wales its staff were being reminded of the procedures for handling suspect packages. A letter bomb exploded at a business centre in Berkshire, southern England, yesterday at the office of Vantis, a business services firm, injuring two men.

Newspapers reported that the letter was addressed to "Speed Check Services" which supplies speed cameras to the police but was sent instead to its accountants.

On Monday, a woman was injured in a letter bomb explosion at the London headquarters of Capita, the firm managing London's congestion charge.

The company collects 25 million payments a year from motorists who pay to drive into central London.

Kent police are also investigating a letter bomb which injured a man at his Folkestone home on Saturday.

The explosions raised media speculation that it could be a campaign by a motorist, disgruntled by the rapid spread of traffic speeding cameras on Britain's roads.

Motorists caught speeding by cameras paid more than stg£100 million pounds (€150 million) in fines in 2005. Drivers who are repeatedly caught speeding can be temporarily banned from driving. Tens of thousands of motorists a year are disqualified.